Once a prison camp during the Revolutionary War, Camp Security is now an oasis of natural beauty located in the rapidly developing landscape around the city of York.
Built in 1781, the camp held approximately 1,500 captured British soldiers and their families until the war ended in the spring of 1783. The camp played an integral role in the founding of the nation and is one of the last remaining Revolutionary War prison camps in the United States.
In 2005, the National Trust for Historic Preservation named the site one America’s “11 Most Endangered Historic Places,” as encroaching development threatened the green pastures that had sat practically undisturbed for more than two centuries.
Today, however, the 116-acre property is permanently preserved thanks in part to funding from the Keystone Fund.
Keystone grants helped The Conservation Fund leverage support from Springettsbury Township, York County, Friends of Camp Security, and private donors to purchase the property. It was combined with a pre-existing township park to create the Camp Security Preservation Area.
In addition to serving as an important piece of American history, the Camp Security Preservation Area also provides recreational opportunities for tens of thousands of area residents and visitors who are now able to enjoy the space for hiking, picnicking, and other outdoor activities.
Moreover, the property is located less than 10 miles from the Susquehanna River and is part of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Its conservation plays a small but important role in protecting against flooding and keeping the water clean.
